Card table



Nov. 26, 1940. 7 H. MARKELL 2,222,985

CARD TABLE Filed NOV. 22, 1938 INVENTOR WMa ATTO RN EYS Patented Nov. 26, 1940 i UNITED STATES CARD TABLE 1 I. 7 Harold Markell, Bufialo, N. Y. Application November 22, 1938, Serial No. 241j73 7 Claims. (01. 273-13 This invention relates to improvements in game or card tables, and particularly to tables of this kind having means applied thereto upon which the score of the game may be kept.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device of thiskind of a simple and efiiw cient construction which is always available for use by any of the players for either recording or reading the score. Another object of this invention is to provide a table of this kind-in which the scoring device is mounted on the table top in such a manner that the same does not interfere with the sliding of cards or other game devices across the surface of the scoring device of the table. Afurther object of the invention is to provide a scoring device which is rotatably mounted on the table top in such a manner that it can be readily used by any of the players and which will be substantially flush with the table top so as not to interferewith the sliding of .cards across the same. A further object of the invention is to provide a scoring device of this kind which has a surface on which certain guide lines for use in scoring are permanently formed onthe scoring device while a record of the score itself may be erased from the device. :Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game or. card table provided with a scoring device embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view thereof, on line 33, Fig. 2.

My improved scoring device may be applied to any suitable type of card or game table and by way of illustration, I have shown in the accompanying drawing a table having a top H] and legs H which may be secured to or connected with the table top [0 in any suitable or leather, or other covering material l2 which is stretched over and generally cemented or otherwise secured to the table top and fastened below the edges of the table top in any suitable or desired manner. In the accompanying drawing, I have shown my improvements applied to a table having the top face formed of a covering material of this kind, but it will be understood that my improved scoring device may be employed with any type of table whether the same has a covering material of this "kind or'not.

' be slid over the scoring device in the same manformed by merely cutting out a circular portion In certain games, such as bridge, it isfrequently very necessary for the players .toknow what the score is so that they may govern, their bidding or. playing accordingly. At the present time the score is generally kept by one ofthe' I players on a pad which generally lies on a corner of the table where it is quite inaccessible to at least two'of the players. This causes a considerable amount of inconvenience to' at least these two players to keep themselves advised as 10 to the score. Furthermore, a score pad occupies space on the table and is sometimes in the Way of the players. Some attempts have been made to provide scoring devices which are kept under a glass portion of the table top, and which are located on the underside of the table top. These devices are, however, not movable by' the players,- :and consequently, it is difficult for some of the players to determine what the score is,'for the reason that such device is only readily readable-by one of the players. Furthermore, such devices are not readily accessible for entering items on the scoring device, since they must be removed from their position under the table before an entrycan be made thereon.

"All of these difiiculties are overcome by means of scoring devices according to my invention, in which the scoring device is pivotally mounted to rotate about a vertical axis on the table top, and in order to prevent the scoring device from 6 interfering in any way with the free use of the entire surface of the table top, the scoring device is preferably arranged so that the top surface of the device is either approximately flush with the flush with the top face of the table top. The

scoring device may, consequently, be readily and quickly turned about its upright pivot in such a I manner as tobe in easy position for reading or '6 entering scores thereon by any of the players seated about the table. By arranging the edges of the scoring device flush with the table top during the playing of a hand, the cards may ner as they would slide over any other portion of the table top.

In order to accomplish these results, I provide on the top face of the table top a circular recess into which the scoring device may extend. This recess may be provided in any suitable or desired manner, and when the table top is provided with a covering material I2 such as shown in the drawing, the recess i5 in the table top may be ,1; lower end of the bearing 20. Any other means the scoring device is located may be formed in any suitable or desired portion of the table top, the recess in the construction shown in Fig. 1 being provided in the middle portion of the table top, where the scoring device is equally accessible to all of the players. If desired, however, the recess and scoring device may be located at one side or near a corner of the table top.

The scoring device itself may be constructed and mounted on the table inany suitable or desired manner, and I have illustrated in the drawing, by way of example, one form of construcj In this construction, the scoring device includesa disk l6 of any suitable or desired rigid material, such as metal.

tion and mounting for the scoring device.

This disk is of such diameter as to fit closely within the circular recess IS in the table top. The upper face of this disk may be formed in any suitable manner to carry a scoring device II. This device may, for example, be a covering for the disk. 16 having an upper surface upon-which the necessary writing may be done by means of a pencil. In my preferred form of the device, the scoring sheet I! is securely cemented to the top surface of the disk 16 and maybe made of cellulose acetate or a similar material, having its upper'surface so formed inany well known manner so as to make it possible to write on the upper surface with a penciL- The pencil notations may be readily removed from the top surface of the sheet I! either by "means of an eraser of any usual kind or by washing the surface. Preferably the sheet. I!

also has certain ruling or'guide lines l8 formed thereonin such a manner as not to be erasable. This-may he done by printing the lines or ruling on the top face of the sheet I! by means of suitable ink or pigment which cannot be later removed from the sheet by erasing, or it is possible to use a transparent or translucent sheet upon the lower face of which the ruling or guide lines may be formed or printed. In this manner, the

erasing of the score will leave the sheet l1 ready for further use, with the guide lines and other printed matter always on the sheet ready for use.

The disk lfifor carrying the sheet of material on which the score is to be recorded may be pivo'tally mounted onthe table in any suitable or desired manner. In the construction shown for this purpose, I preferably. provide on the under surface ofthe table top a suitable board or brace member of sufficient strength to receive a pivot bearing for the scoring device. In the accompanying drawing, l9 represents the brace member which may be in the form of a board or strip of Wood .or other material secured to the lower face of the table top and having a pivot bearing .20 suitably secured thereto. This bearing, as illustrated in the drawing, extends through the brace member l9 and is provided with a flange 2|, and screws 22 secure the bearing member 19 in place. The disk It is provided with a downwardly extending pivot member or post 24 suitably secured to the disk in any suitable or desired manner, and if desired, a washer 25 may be interposed between the disk H and the bearing member 20. The pivot member 24 extends through the bearing and may be pivotally Tse-' cured in the desired position in the hearing by means of a nut 26 engaging a threaded lower end of the pivot or post 24, and if desired, Washers 2.1 may be interposed between the nut and the the top of the sheet ll.

use to which the table is put.

of the covering material l2. This recess in which for pivotally mounting the scoring device on the table may be provided.

With the construction described, it will be ob vious that the disk l6 carrying the scoring sheet I! may be easily rotated so that the score recorded on the upper face of the table may be in convenient position to any player seated about the table, either for recording the score thereon or for reading the score. The scoring device shown in the drawing is arranged with the top surface thereof flush with the top surface of the table top so that cards may readily slide across Consequently, the scoring device in no way interferes with the usual The scoring device is always in position on the table for immediate use and at the same time, renders the entire top surface ofthe table top usable as a playing surface.

Since the score is generally kept on a square or rectangular "portion of the surface of thescoring device, the segmental edge portions of the scoring dis'kmaybe used for any desired purpose, such, for example, as printed matter which may contain information used in connection with .the game. When used for bridge, the segmental portions may contain'information as to the rules of the-game; the values of tricks or of various hands, and this information is then easily readable by anyplayer by turning the scoring device into convenient position for reading.

The nut '26 holds the scoring device in correct relation to the table top during all positions of the table, and consequently, if the table legs are folded against the table top and the table placed on its side for storing, the scoring device remains in fix-ed relation to the table top and is readyfor immediateuseI when the table is again set up.

I claim as myinvention:

l. A card table having a table top provided with 'a circular recessed portion in the upper face thereof,'a circular device in said recessed portion .and having a fiatupper surface arranged flush with said-upper face of said table top and.

upon which :a'record of the game score may be kept, said upper surface of said device forming with said upper. facev of said top a substantially continuous surface, and means for supporting said circular device for 'free rotation in said recessed portion for facilitating the making and reading of records thereon. i

2. A card table having a table top, a circular game scoring device, means for pivotally supporting said device thereon to rotate about a vertical axis relatively to said table top, the upper surface of said scoring device being formed soas to be written upon whereby rotation of said device enables players at different positions to view the writing on said device rightway up, and at least the edge portions of said device being substantially flush with theupper-face of said table top to permit cards to slide over said scoring device.

' ;3,.-A card, table having a table top provided with -a circular recessed portion in the upper .faoe thereof, a circular disk rotatably arranged 5 in saidrecessed portion, and a sheet of material secured to the top of and rotatable with said disk and having an upper face adapted to receive thereof, a circular disk rotatably arranged in ceive writing and to have writing erased therefrom, said sheet having lines indelibly ruled thereon to facilitate scoring, said sheet being substantially flush with the upper face of said table top, and said disk and sheet being rotatable by pressure applied against the upper face of said sheet.

5. A card table having a table top provided with a circular recessed portion, a scoring device arranged in said recess and having a downwardly extending pivot post, a bearing for said post mounted on said table top, and a sheet of writing material secured to the upper face of said scoring device, and arranged substantially flush surface substantially flush with the upper face of said table top to permit cards to slide freely over said table top and across said scoring device, and said scoring device having a vertical pivot upon which it may be rotated relatively to said table top, said device being rotatable by pressure applied against its upper surface.

'7. A card table having a top formed with a circular, shallow depression in the upper face thereof, a circular disk disposed horizontally in said depression and having a. diameter only slightly less thanthat of said recess, means for supporting said disk to turn about the common vertical axis of said disk and said recess, and a sheet of cellulose acetate of approximately the same diameter as said disk secured firmly to the upper surface of said disk with the upper face thereof flush with the upper face of said table top and formed to receive pencil Writing, whereby said disk and its attached sheet may be readily revolved about said axis by finger pressure applied against the top face of said sheet to enable any player at said table to view the writing thereon right way up, and whereby cards may slide freely over the table and across said acetate sheet. I

HAROLD MARKELL. 

